Sussex CCC Blog

Jim Parks Senior

A season to remember for Jim Parks Senior

Throwback Thursday

13-Jun-2013

The Parks family have had an historic link to Sussex cricket for over a century and Jim Parks is currently enjoying his second term as President of the county, having played for Sussex between 1949-73.

It's his father, Jim senior, however, who holds a Sussex record which will never be emulated! In 1937, Parks did a unique ‘double’ when he made more than 3,000 runs and took more than 100 wickets in the same season.

He scored more than 21,000 runs in his Sussex career and took 852 wickets with his inswingers. His phenomenal form in 1937 earned him a Test call-up by England and he made his solitary appearance against New Zealand, alongside another debutant Len Hutton, at Lord’s.

His fantastic career ended two years later in 1939 and Sussex’s last match before the Second World War was also his benefit game. After the war he played briefly in the Lancashire League before returning to Hove as the Sussex cricket coach.

The Parks family dynasty also included James’ brother Harry, who played for Sussex between 1926-48 and scored more than 20,000 runs. James’s grandson Bobby Parks was also a first-class cricketer for Hampshire.